The present invention relates to electrical cables such as electrical power cables, more particularly to methods and apparatuses for removing an outer layer (e.g., a jacket or insulative layer) from an electrical cable.
Generally speaking, commercially available jacket removal tools are imprecise hand tools that are difficult and time-consuming to operate. The conventional approach to removing a jacket from an electrical cable involves manipulation of a hand tool that does not attach to the cable. During the cutting of a cable, both the cable and the hand tool's cutting blades are unsupported and in free air. Use of these hand tools requires significant training and on-the-job experience. They tend to be variable both in their service life and in the quality of the electrical terminations that they permit. Their use requires lengthened and labor-intensive work, and this considerable amount of energy and effort yields inconsistent results.
The following United States patents, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, are informative regarding traditional practice of cable jacket removal: Korczak et al. U.S. Pat. No. 7,171,753 B2 issued 6 Feb. 2007; Edwards et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,611 B2 issued 28 Jan. 2003; Stepan U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,753 issued 8 Aug. 1995; Noon U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,104 issued 3 May 1988; Hudson U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,893 issued 14 Apr. 1987; Luka U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,717 issued 1 Oct. 1985; Matthews U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,483 issued 2 May 1972; Langer U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,666 issued 6 Jul. 1971; Scott U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,350 issued 3 Nov. 1970; Wagner U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,052 issued 19 Aug. 1969.